Avocado
Glorious creamy avocados come from Central and South America. They grow on trees which can be 20 meters high. In some countries they are called alligator pears as they are shaped like a pear and have an outer skin like these ferocious reptiles.
Nutrition
Avocados are a fantastic source of unsaturated fat, which can protect our hearts by preserving levels of good cholesterol as well as containing vitamins E which supports healthy skin and eyes.
Shopping Guide
Avoid avocados that are overly soft and give with little pressure.
Storage
You can leave out unripe avocados on the counter for a couple of days or speed up the ripening by placing them in a paper bag with a ripe banana. To test for ripeness, give a gentle squeeze on the sides, it should give and feel fairly soft.
Serving Suggestion
Avocados are a base for the Mexican dip known as guacamole or the fan favourite avo on toast or adding creaminess to smoothies.
Seasonality
Buying veg in season is not only great for the planet, it can be good for your wallet, too! Seasonal veg are often cheaper and frequently taste better, so can be a better time to try with a child as the often sweeter, riper taste is more enjoyable.
At Its Best:
January - December
Engage
Here are some of our favourite ways to engage kids with avocado:
Arts & Crafts
Start simple with some non-food based engagement. This is especially helpful for a fussier child or those with sensitivities around food.
For avocado, why not try sketching a halved one? They have a fun shape and textures to play with for those who enjoy art!
Science
Science allows for curiosity, play and hands-on experiments. It helps kids to become fascinated with veg – how it looks, reacts, smells, cooks and more. Finding fun and simple experiments to allow kids to play with their veg makes them curious about it and helps them approach it in a positive way.
Growing an avocado plant is a classic for a reason! Explore the growth of plants using the pit of your avocado. Wash and dry the pit, fill a jar almost completely with water, and insert 4 toothpicks into your avocado stone to help it balance on the top of the glass, with the bottom of the pit only just in the water by about an inch. Place the glass somewhere where it will get plenty of light, but not in direct sunlight. Replenish the water as needed, and watch as it sprouts! When the root is about 3 inches long, take out of the glass, remove the toothpicks, and pop in a pot of soil, leaving the top inch exposed. Water as needed and see it grow and grow… Why not keep a video or written diary to watch it happen over time?
Sensory
Sensory exploration can be a wonderful introduction to physically interacting with veg. Turn it into a positive, pressure-free experience by starting off with the golden rules of “You don’t need to try and you don’t need to like.” Reassuring a child that, while they have a chance to taste a veg, they don’t have to, and are not expected to like it if they do, can make them more happy to engage with it.
Explore the feel of the different parts of an avocado, which has so many different textures. What does the outside feel like? Is it different from the feel of the inside or the pit? What does it all remind you of?
Kids in the Kitchen
Children who help to prep and cook veg are more likely to eat it. If you feel your child is ready to help and could benefit from it, keep the stress and mess to a minimum by choosing one simple task for them to do as part of the prep, meaning they can be involved and feel like the recipe is in part ‘theirs’, but also not make the process too much longer or more complicated.
For a younger child, why not show them how to make guacamole? Halve and remove the pit from a ripe avocado or two and let them scoop out the flesh and mash it with some lime or lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and some optional fresh coriander and/or diced tomatoes or red onion. Perfect for dipping veggies at snacktime!
For an older child, it could be a great opportunity to introduce them to essential knife skills. Halve and remove the pit for them, then place the flesh face down on a chopping board and let them chop with a butter knife – avocado is a great introduction as it is so soft and easy to chop. See if they can practise their bridge and claw grips on avocado before moving on to sharper knives or harder veggies!
Use our Kitchen Ninja chart and videos to find simple ways for kids to help in the kitchen.
Your Food
Find your go-to meals in our family favourites section and see what veggies work best with them.
Find out how to add more veg to your suppers here.
Recipes
Serving
The moments before food is offered can be a perfect opportunity for engagement that can help make it more likely a child will eat it!
The first thing to do is remove the pressure. If the veg doesn’t get eaten, it’s not the end of the world. There will be other days, other dinners, other chances. Fun is key here – try not to worry about mess, perfect table manners, or playing with food. Instead, focus on making the process of getting the food to the plates, readying the table, and the actual eating relaxed.
The best principles for success here are the Three Rs (role modelling, rewarding, re-offering) which you can read about here.
But there is one more way you can serve for success, and that is giving your child a role. You don’t have to do this every time, just encourage them in their strengths through it when you can.
Here are some of our favourite ideas:
Design a menu
Come up with a silly name or story for a dish
Help with making a meal plan and choosing veg for dinners or snacks
Help to serve up the meal on dishes, lay the table or create a centrepiece to be involved in the physical ‘serving up’ process
The Wonderful World of Veg
Check out our vegepedia. When to buy in-season. How to store them to keep for longer. How to engage children with each veg, and simple ideas of how to prepare and cook them for maximum taste and minimum waste. Select a veg…